SNL Creative would like to welcome Nathan Smith, owner of Parametriks . “Today, we are exploring an extraordinary shift in footwear and fashion design. We are in the midst of not just a Renaissance, but a Revolution, driven by the power of additive manufacturing and computational design.”
Computational design further fuels this revolution, providing designers with sophisticated tools to develop dynamic design systems. These systems can adapt to a multitude of inputs, such as digital foot scans, enabling the creation of hyper-specific and personalized products that move beyond the limitations of traditional sizing and mass production. You can witness Parametrik’s 3d printed designs at Rapid 2024 from June 25-27th at SNL Creatives booth #2651
SNL How do see additive manufacturing playing a critical role in how we manufacture bespoke footwear
Parametriks: There is a Revolution in footwear design and creation. Additive manufacturing is now giving nearly anyone access to the possibility of quickly and cheaply iterating on design options and even production. Because of this, smaller entities and designers can stand up next to the massive shoemakers of today.
SNL: Can you share how computational design has expanded in Footwear design?
Parametriks: Computational Design further fuels this possibility by giving a designer the tools to create a Design System and not just a one-off. Once a Design System is created, a multitude of input parameters can be endlessly changed, resulting in either completely different designs or designs reacting to hyper-specific inputs.
SNL: What are the key advantages of utilizing digital foot scans over traditional lasts in shoe design and manufacturing?
Parametriks: Digital foot scans will replace the lasts of old allowing for nuances in foot shape and even the ability to tune performance. Utilizing this data as input to the Design System moves thinking past standard sizing and the one-size-fits-all model into something extremely nuanced, not molded for the masses, but printed to foot.
SNL: How do you utilize AI to explore new potentials in fashion design and how AI is integrated into your creative processes
Parametriks: We utilize ai to quickly explore new potentials by referencing our designs in other fashion products. To some degree, we train closed ai models utilizing our design and actively give feedback to not only push the ai model forward, but the design as well. This allows for rapid studies of new products and even the exploration of possible brand partnerships. The next step in 3D printing is using ai to create a printable file based on a prompt or set of references. Current ai models are able to create rudimentary 3D data but the nuances of Class A modeling are on the horizon for ai to replicate. Once this is possible, other methods of fabrication can be utilized to create finessed industrial design products just as we do today.
SNL: In what ways can computational design be integrated with other data inputs to create more efficient and innovative products?
Parametriks :The most exciting thing about the future of computational design is the ability to create hyper-specific designs based on nuanced inputs such as foot scan (shape) and pressure point data as well as designs aimed to improve performance or correct development issues (health). This expands even further when you consider other types of fashion products and industrial design applications.
SNL: How do you see the role of designers evolving as computational models become more prevalent and capable of constant updates
Parametriks :Computational-based designs are infinitely powerful in their ability to accept new forms of data and inputs. To some degree, a computational-based design is never complete, just baked as a marker in time. The beauty of computational models is that they can also be modified, added onto, and made more efficient to an endless degree, thus updating the results infinitely; not just one-off design but a Design System that updates results over time and based on new inputs.
SNL : What an insightful and thought-provoking discussion we’ve had today! We’ve explored the revolutionary impact of 3D printing and computational design on footwear and fashion, delving into the democratization of the design process, the customization capabilities afforded by digital foot scans, and the evolving role of AI in this dynamic landscape. From creating hyper-specific, personalized products to leveraging AI for rapid design iteration, it’s clear that we are on the cusp of a new era in design and manufacturing.
Parametriks : As we move forward, it’s essential to balance innovation with the irreplaceable touch of human creativity, ensuring that technology serves as a tool to enhance rather than replace the designer’s vision. The future holds endless possibilities, and it’s an exciting time to be part of this transformation.
Thanks, Nathan for sharing your expertise and insight into the new workflows that integrate AI and Advanced Computational design. Let’s continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, embracing the fusion of technology and creativity to shape the future of fashion and footwear design. You can witness Parametrik’s 3d printed designs at Rapid 2024 from June 25-27th at SNL Creatives booth #2651
